Thursday, March 10, 2011

"i'm working, i sweat but it's all good"

I'm happy to say that I'm feeling quite inspired this week. I've recently discovered the library (sounds silly, but it has been a revelation!) and am reading more than I have since college. The weather is absolutely perfect- cool, fire pit worthy evenings and bright afternoons perfect for outdoor beer sippin'. My job is going great and spring break is so close I can taste it. Of course, spring break means SXSW. And south by means I have days and days of sunshine, good friends, and hot tunes to look forward to.

Life is good.

As if all that wasn't enough, this weekend I made migas. I've made migas before in various forms, but these were different. I set out to make restaurant worthy migas, and I came pretty darn close. There are a few things to which I owe credit.

First, the homemade tortilla strips.

Gah, I hate frying. Not because it is unhealthy, but because I'm so bad at it. So naturally, I set off the fire alarm while frying these tortilla strips. I also splashed oil up on myself and yelped and cursed more than once during the process. But you know what? It was totally worth it. Because at the end of all of that, I had this to show for it.

Truth be told, I had about double that amount to show for it. But then I sprinkled them with a little salt and ate them. It's amazing I left any tortilla strips for the migas, really. Way to show self restraint, Emily.

Speaking of self restraint, my second tip for good migas is to not skimp on cheese.

I mean really...why would you? It is the easiest way to ensure delicious migas (or anything for that matter). Don't be shy about it. Cheese is your friend. I used plain ol' cheddar, shredded it myself, and piled it on in layers as I was cooking the eggs. If you were having migas in a restaurant, I assure you they would be have more salt and fat. So don't feel bad. If you need to, call me and I'll talk you through it. I can justify cheese all day.

For my final suggestion, I have an actual cooking tip. You see, I had an advantage before I even dreamed up these migas because my parents taught me long ago the proper way to cook eggs. It's simple. Cook 'em sloooow. Treat them gently. Scrambled eggs are an easy thing to rush through. I've been guilty more than once of letting my hunger get the best of me, cranking up the heat and hurrying along the egg scrambling. But not this time. So friends, when you make this recipe, please don't spend all that time sauteing peppers and shredding cheese just to rush through cooking the eggs. Your migas deserve better.

Add enough vegetable oil to a large skillet to coat the bottom. Place skillet on medium-high heat and add tortilla strips to skillet. Cook for about three minutes, turning once. Remove the tortilla strips and place on a plate covered with a paper towel. Keep remaining oil in skillet.

Add onions and peppers to the skillet and cook until peppers are just soft and onions are slightly browned. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper.Turn the heat on the skillet down to low. Add egg mixture, making sure peppers are evenly distributed. Do not stir! Allow to cook for at least a minute or two. When the sides of the pan are beginning to look a little firm, gently lift up the cooked sides of the egg, allowing the uncooked portion to reach the pan. Repeat until eggs are mostly cooked along the sides but not quite cooked on top. Add a layer of tortilla chips and cheese and gently fold eggs in on themselves. Repeat until the eggs are just cooked. The whole process should take about 7-10 minutes.

Top the migas with more cheese and tortilla strips. Serve immediately with flour tortillas, salsa, and refried beans. In our house, this serves 2.~eeg

1 comment:

These look delicious! I really like your blog! When traveling through hill country this weekend I stopped at Western Otter where I had a lovely conversation with your friend Jen! So glad she recommended your site! Keep it up!